It’s urgent ... stop, believe, and follow a new path!

Morning: Psalm 25; Job 12:1-6, 13-25; Acts 11:19-30

Evening: Psalms 9, 15; John 8:21-30

Jesus’s message is as urgent today as it was when he first spoke the truth to the Pharisees in ancient Israel ... They were on the wrong path. If they did not turn around, they would find themselves in ruin. If they followed his ways, they would find a new path for themselves and their society. Who are today’s Pharisees, doubters and skeptics, the ones who dismiss Jesus’s message as some kind of fairy-tale? Is it us? His warning rings true down to today ... the consequences of our continuing to ignore him will be as ruinous as ever.

 

The blessèd who bless the world

Morning: Psalms 148, 149, 150; Job 11: 1-9, 13-20; Revelation 5:1-14

Evening: Psalms 114, 115; Matthew 5:1-12

Jesus begins his famous Sermon on the Mount with a series of what, to the ears of our culture, sound like unlikely blessings ... on those who admit when they are in a fix, those who mourn for someone dear, those who are content with who they are, those who long for God, those who care, those whose inner life is at peace, those who make peace, those who are ready to suffer for the truth. By such people the world is more blessed than by all the bravado and phony displays of strength that fear can muster.

 

 

Light to see by ... light to live by

Morning: Psalm 102; Jeremiah 38:1-6; Revelation 7:13-17

Evening: Psalms 110, 116, 117; John 8:12-20

Often Jesus’s truth feels as if it is directed at me. Do you know what I mean? Like when a speaker has hit the nail on the head, and you say: “I felt like you were talking to me.” It may be that an uncomfortable truth has brought to light in me something I would rather have kept hidden. I may even have been ignorant or fearful of some aspect of myself. Jesus is that kind of light. He illumines the darkness that obscures who we really are. See!? ... God longs for us to become ourselves, without fear.

 

 

A stream of living water for thirsty souls

Morning: Psalms 16, 17; Job 9:1-15, 32-35; Acts 10:34-48

Evening: Psalm 22: John 7:37-52

Jesus offers drink to thirsty souls; he calls this drink, ‘living water’. When you’re thirsty in the way Jesus is talking about, you are someone who longs for meaning in life, a sense of purpose, a reason to be. And Jesus says he can satisfy this longing in you, if you trust him. After this, you will be able to help others who are thirsty, too.  And, slowly, this living water will become a stream that waters every dry place, every soul on earth who longs for something better and can trust the Way of Jesus to lead them there.

 

Whose glory do I seek? Am I true or false?

Morning: Psalm 18:1-20; Job 8:1-10, 20-22; Acts 10:17-33

Evening: Psalm 18:21-50; John 7:14-36

Our culture gives mixed messages ... You must not seek your own glory, but you must prove your worth in actions that usually bring real rewards. The Way of Jesus begs a question to our culture, “Whose glory do I seek?” If I seek to improve the well-being and good reputation of a community, my family or God, then it’s not all about me; I am being true, not a phony. Jesus did not seek his own glory. It is a good question to ask ourselves, and, of course, to answer honestly: “Whose glory do I seek?”

 

Beyond the temptation to live without God

Morning: Psalm 119:1-24; Job 6:1, 7:1-21; Acts 10:1-16

Evening: Psalms 12, 13, 14; John 7:1-13

Jesus resists his brothers’ (companions) efforts to get him to Jerusalem: there, they think he will gain renown through his signs. Jesus says it is not his time yet. Yet soon, in the spring, he will offer a remedy for the world’s brokenness by taking the burden of it on himself. Thus will he inaugurate his kingdom. The world rejects him by succumbing to the temptation to try to live without God.  Soon all will see the remedy which Jesus does offer when his time comes ... He will offer himself as the founder of a new creation.

 

Not a spiritual idea but God in the flesh

Morning: Psalms 5, 6; Job 6:1-4, 8-15, 21; Acts 9:32-43

Evening: Psalms 10, 11; John 6:60-71

One important debate in recent Christianity has been whether the Gospels describe real, historical events or whether they are mostly just metaphorical descriptions of ‘spiritual truths’. The first-century followers of Jesus had similar disagreements. Many stopped following Jesus ... they chose not to risk their well-being and their futures by being associated with the astounding and blasphemous idea that the Word of God had appeared in human flesh. Those who stayed with Jesus believed he was much more than just a ‘spiritual leader’ ... For them, Jesus was the living God in the flesh. That makes a world of difference.

 

The work of elders in the faith ... Is that you?

Morning: Psalm 86; Genesis 28:10-17; John 1:43-51

Evening: Psalms 15, 67; Isaiah 66:1-2, 18-23; 1 Peter 5:1-11

St. Peter speaks eloquently to elders in the faith: “Tend the flock of God ... Do not lord it over those in your charge, but be examples to the flock ... You who are younger must accept the authority of the elders ... Clothe yourselves with humility in your dealings with one another ... Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God ... Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you ... The God of all grace ... will himself restore, support, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.”

 

Jesus ... just one of the neighbourhood kids

Morning: Psalms 146, 147; Job 4:1-6, 12-21; Revelation 4:1-11

Evening: Psalms 111,112,113; Mark 6:1-6a

In some ways, you’re always a child in your own hometown and among your own kin. It’s hard for people to recognize that you have changed and matured and grown in wisdom (if you have!?) since they knew you as the kid down the street; they remember you as you were back then. Even Jesus had difficulty getting people to listen to his teaching in Nazareth. But on another level, it is reassuring to know that Jesus was just one of the neighbourhood kids; he truly knows all of our human experience, right down to the harshness of being rejected.

 

Hungry and searching for bread? Here it is!

Morning: Psalms 137:1-6, 144; Job 3:1-26; Acts 9:10-19a

Evening: Psalm 104; John 6:41-51

A ‘come-to-Jesus moment’ is a sudden insight into the way things are. There are two main ideas about this ... 1. We come to God by our own free will, and thus begin to see God more clearly; 2. God draws you to himself by an inescapable power we call ‘grace’. Both ideas carry truth. You search for bread because you are hungry, OR, someone may tell you where to find it. What matters is that your hunger is satisfied. And, whether you discover or are drawn to Jesus’s Way, you realize that he himself is the Bread you need.

 

Eternal life ... how you live, not how long

Morning: Psalms 140, 142; Job 2:1-13; Acts 9:1-9

Evening: Psalms 141, 143:1-11; John 6:27-40

[NOTE: Reflections with Scripture links are at https://nomansbland.blogspot.ca … please go to the blog to “like” the reflections and share them with others.]

Some Christians are distracted by ‘eternal life’, thinking of it as long life rather than quality of life. The ‘holy grail’ is never to die! Jesus’s Way, though, is how you live and why, not how long. He is our companion as we discover how to live here in this world, not our pilot to the next. Trust him and find meaning in life here, in this beautiful, wild and puzzling world we inhabit. Trouble is, there are no previews! ... This wonderful journey begins when you believe. As I have said before: Believing is seeing!

 

 

Work for the food that endures

Morning: Psalms 131, 132; Job 1:1-22; Acts 8:26-40

Evening: Psalms 134, 135; John 6:16-27

I am excited and encouraged when young people say that they don’t just want a job. Instead, many young people want satisfying work, work that promotes a healthy planet, work that envisions a just society, work that serves the world and the other people and creatures in it. To work for money (‘bread’) without clear values about how we will use it is pointless, potentially destructive and life-denying. Jesus teaches, ‘Labour for the food that endures’, labour for what really nourishes people, labour for what feeds their souls. Self-giving, compassionate love feeds the soul; it is life-giving. Work for that.

 

Bread for my life … Life for the world

Morning: Psalm 119:145-176; Judges 18:16-31; Acts 8:14-25

Evening: Psalms 128, 129, 130; John 6:1-15

Last night, I watched some amazing auditions from Britain’s Got Talent. You can see the dollar signs in the eyes of the panel when a talented singer comes along! They care about the new talent, yes, but mainly as a potential source of personal profit. When Jesus does amazing things with bread and fish, they want to make him their king ... Jesus spends the rest of his life showing that he is not the provider of bread; he himself is the Bread of Life. He feeds me so I can help bring the world to Life.

I can do nothing on my own

Morning: Psalms 121, 122, 123; Judges 18:1-15; Acts 8:1-13

Evening: Psalms 124, 125, 126; John 5:30-47

Ralph Waldo Emerson promoted the illusion of perfect self-reliance in his book, On Walden Pond. Even Jesus owns, though, “I can do nothing on my own.”  Of course, we all need some healthy independence. But the world is not built for ‘making it on our own’. Think about what a stretch it would be for any one of us to do that for even a day! History is full of people on individualistic quests for accomplishment or salvation. If humankind cannot learn, however, the fact of our inescapable and beautiful interdependence, our fierce self-reliance will, ironically, kill us.

 

Hi Folks,

I wish I could say it was a deliberate mistake to see if you were all awake, but it wasn’t! … I was doing some reading about Emerson’s essay on self-reliance and got mixed up … As one of you pointed out (thanks Ted!), it was Henry David Thoreau who wrote On Walden Pond! So it was Emerson who promoted self-reliance, but in his essay! As Ted said “they were also interconnected and Thoreau depended on Emerson’s support."

 

Pascal’s wager - better to bet on God!

Morning: Psalm 106:1-18; Judges 17:1-13; Acts 7:44-8:1a

Evening: Psalm 106:19-48; John 5:19-29

Today’s Gospel is difficult for me ... Jesus speak of those who have done good being resurrected to life and those who have done evil being resurrected to condemnation. What to say about this? Philosopher Blaise Pascal had an idea ... A rational person should live as though God exists and believe in God. If God does not exist, the person will have only a finite loss (some pleasures, luxury, etc.), whereas if God does exist, he stands to receive infinite gains (‘heaven’) and avoid infinite losses (‘hell’). Using this logic, better to bet on God and do good, right!?

 

Choosing whether or not to give yourself to love

Morning: Psalms 113, 115; 1 Samuel 2:1-10; John 2:1-12

Evening: Psalm 33; John 5:1-18

Today, I have a wedding, a joyful celebration in troubling times. Today also, the Church remembers Mary, mother of Jesus, through the story of the wedding at Cana. We celebrate Mary because she chose to give her life in faithfulness to God’s way of love; hers was a love born of courage - arising not from emotion but from an act of her will. Jesus was surely shaped by Mary’s choice. Today, I will ask the bride and groom, “Will you give yourself ... to love?” Doesn’t life always involve the choice whether or not to give yourself to love?

 

God-bearer

Morning: Psalm 102; Judges 14:20—15:20; Acts 7:30-43

Eve of St. Mary: Psalm 45; Jeremiah 31:1-14; John 19:23-27

In the Eastern Church, Mary, Jesus’ mother, is called ‘Theotokos’, or ‘God-bearer’, the one who carries God into the world. This does not refer only to her womb, but to her quiet witness to the ministry of her son and the fulfillment of God’s will in him. “Let it be to me according to your word,” Mary says when the angel tells her she will bear Jesus (Luke 1:38). From the Cross, Jesus salutes her faithfulness. Will I be a God-bearer too, and bring him to life in a world that desperately needs his love and justice? Let it be.

 

 

For what do I hunger or thirst?

Morning: Psalm 105:1-22; Judges 14:1-19; Acts 6:15—7:6

Evening: Psalm 105:23-45; John 4:27-42

esus probably annoyed his disciples when they asked him if he wanted something to eat and he replied, “I have food to eat that you do not know.” I can imagine them saying, “Aw, come on, just have a sandwich!” And he probably did in reality. But the Gospel wants to convey a deeper story about a kind of nourishment we all recognize ... like when you are able to do something really worthwhile, maybe something small but it makes a positive difference for someone ... and that feeds your soul and satisfies your hunger more than bread ever could.

 

Three strikes and ... still in with a chance

Morning: Psalms 101,109:1-4, 20-30; Judges 13:15-24; Acts 6:1-15

Evening: Psalms 119:121-144; John 4:1-26

The Samaritan woman in John’s story of Jesus at the well has 3 strikes against her in her encounter with Jesus, but that does not disqualify her, in his eyes, from a full life. Firstly, she is a woman, and Jewish men typically avoid being alone or speaking with women for fear of scandal. Secondly, Jews do not associate with Samaritans. Thirdly, her moral character is in question. But Jesus does not allow these social barriers to prevent him from offering the woman hope and renewal - or ‘living water’. For Jesus, no-one is beyond hope of redemption.

 

Wrath of God or natural consequence of stupidity?

Morning: Psalms 97, 99; Judges 13:1-15; Acts 5:27-42

Evening: Psalm 94; John 3:22-36

In John’s Gospel Jesus says that those who do not follow his Way experience not life but the ‘wrath of God’.  Doesn’t sound like the God I know? But if I disturb God’s created balance in the world and I and others get hurt, that may feel like someone’s wrath, even God’s?  Does God deliberately cause hurt?  I don’t think so. Maybe it’s more like this ... Imagine I knowingly pollute the earth for profit, and I make myself and others sick. Wrath of God? Nope ... pure and simple human stupidity. Grief of God, more like!

 

Second birth ... seeing the world in a new light

Morning: Psalm 89:1-18; Judges 12:1-7; Acts 5:12-26

Evening: Psalm 89:19-52; John 3:1-21

Last night we sat talking with our son and his wife, sharing their excitement about their first child, who will be born in September. When Jesus told Nicodemus that he must be ‘born from above’, Nicodemus was more confused than excited. Maybe he came to know later what Jesus meant? Perhaps life took on new meaning and purpose for him. I suspect the light dawned on Nicodemus eventually that, in Jesus, God was making Creation anew, and he could see the world afresh, in that new light. Birth is like that ... both times! We emerge from darkness into light.

 

I will boast of the things that show my weakness

Morning: Psalms 66, 67; Judges 11:1-11, 29-40; 2 Corinthians 11:21b-31

Evening: Psalms 19, 46; Mark 4:35-41

While I love the world and its many rich cultures, I am a disciple of Jesus partly because at every turn, Jesus’ Way takes me down unexpected, counter-cultural paths. And they just feel right. Like St. Paul’s bold statement: “I will boast of the things that show my weakness.” Though I was rigorously schooled in the ‘I am strong’ Stoicism of Britain, I find Paul’s words more honest. If I am truly strong, it is because I first know and accept that I am weak. For whenever I know my weakness, then, in God, I can be strong.

 

Guard the sacredness of your souls

Morning: Psalms 87, 90; Judges 9:22-25, 50-57; Acts 4:32-5:11

Evening: Psalm 136; John 2:13-25

After throwing moneychangers out of the temple - they have made it a marketplace - Jesus challenges those who challenge him: “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” The Gospel writer says Jesus is speaking about the temple of his body, foreshadowing his resurrection from death. Are we not also temples, our bodies sacred places? Yet sometimes we may feel like commodities, just skills and labour sold in the marketplace? Perhaps Jesus is also saying: ... ‘Guard the sacredness of your souls; do not fear, I will raise you up when you miss the mark.’

 

Choosing the right time to do what you came here for

Morning: Psalm 88; Judges 9:1-16, 19-21; Acts 4:13-31

Evening: Psalms 91, 92; John 2:1-12

Jesus must show his hand at some point. The wedding-feast at Cana is that moment. Finally, though he resists his mother’s prodding, he asks them to fill the jars with water - and water becomes wine! Maybe some realize who he is already? Does his mother know? From here on, however, Jesus’s mission is set on its course towards Jerusalem, towards the confrontation he must have with the powers of darkness. In our own lives, too, there is usually a right moment in which we must respond to the nudge that says, ‘Time to do what you came here for.’

 

Walk while you have the light

Morning: Psalm 2, 24; Exodus 24:12-18; 2 Corinthians 4:1-6

Evening: Psalm 72; Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14; John 12:27-36a

As a teenager, I loved walking down dark country lanes. Of course, the darkness was never complete. There was starlight to orient you. The Irish light a candle in a window to signify that the Christ-child and his family are welcome there; so, too, are other travellers. Christ, the light, guides us, keeps us from stumbling and is our companion on the way. Just one small light from a candle can pierce the deepest darkness. Christ is the light who overwhelms the darkness. You can walk by his light when all seems dark.

 

Transformed from one degree of glory to another!

Morning: Psalm 119:97-120; Judges 7:19 – 8:12; Acts 3:12-26

(Eve of Transfiguration) Psalm 84; I Kings 19:1-12; 2 Corinthians 3:1-9, 18

When Charles Darwin published On the Origin of Species in 1859, many scientists and some Christians embraced evolution as entirely consistent with God’s ways. But the Church of England rejected evolution. It now intends to apologize to Darwin, 160 years later! St. Paul suggests that those who live in the freedom of the Spirit (which the Church may not always do!?) are being transformed from one degree of glory to another. We are part of a dynamic, ever-unfolding universe. Creation is even more wonderful than we thought then or think now. And there is still more to come!

God is in our midst ... Imagine!

Morning: Psalm 78:1-39; Judges 7:1-18; Acts 3:1-11

Evening: Psalm 78:40-72; John 1:19-28

Sometimes I go along and do not notice the other people around me. Maybe I’m lost in thought or focused on something else. Today we begin a journey through John’s Gospel, which says the Word of God has taken human flesh and lives among us. Then John the Baptist calls Jesus, “One among you whom you do not know.” What an astounding thought ... that God is in our midst, and we didn’t know it. Imagine how the day would be if I went along expecting to notice God ... in you ... or you.

We cannot tell the importance of our own faithfulness

Morning: Psalms 28, 30; 2 Chronicles 24:17-22; Acts 6:1-7

Evening: Psalm 118; Acts 7:59—8:8

Today, the Church remembers St. Stephen, whom the apostles chose for a ministry of service. Stephen also preached; he declared that Jesus was God - this was blasphemy! No human being could be God. Stephen’s penalty was death. The shocking part is that Saul approved of Stephen’s killing - Saul who became Paul. The amazing thing is that Paul himself later died for faith in Jesus. Someone may argue against God, but you never know how their faith will turn out. Without Stephen’s faithful witness, we may not have a Church. Our own faithfulness is no less important than his.

Forgiveness is a two-way street

Morning: Psalms 93, 96; Judges 6:1-24; 2 Corinthians 9:6-15

Evening: Psalm 34; Mark 3:20-30

Jesus says that those who blaspheme against the Holy Spirit cannot find forgiveness. It is not that God is particularly upset about one particular kind of sin, nor that anything is unforgiveable for God. It’s that if you are in rough waters and choose to reject the lifebelt that someone throws because you mistakenly think they are trying to drown you, you will most surely drown. You cannot receive help from God if you think God wishes you harm. You cannot find forgiveness if you do not trust the one who desires to forgive you. Forgiveness is a two-way street.

Sent ... to be agents of God’s love in the world

Morning: Psalms 75, 76; Judges 5:19-31; Acts 2:22-36

Evening: Psalms 23, 27; Matthew 28:11-20

Jesus sends his apostles: “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them ... and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you.” Growing in faith and wisdom, we learn that God’s gifts are for enjoying, yes, and also for sharing. Self-focus cannot heal the world. In this pandemic, friendship and mutual service sustain and strengthen us. They also shape us as agents of God’s love in the world. I see that happening in our community. Returning to work, I anticipate eagerly the challenges into which God sends us in his strength. We are never alone. Onward, friends!